Mason said, “Charles, give the man a break. You know how important he is to Melanie.” Charles acknowledged, “That I do.” Dad linked me, “Let’s sit down and remember that your mate will be upset if you kill him.”
I replied, “You’d kill him if it was mom.” Dad smirked at me replying, “I said your mate would be upset ifyoukilled him. I can still kill him, son. Let’s just hear what Charles has to say.” I sighed and let the Vampire walk past me. Charles used his speed to get to a chair.
I asked Arthur, “Do you really like this guy?” Arthur smiled answering, “Yes.” I pointed out, “You like a lot of people though and not all deserve it.” Charles snorted, “He will not agree withyou on that, but I do.” I asked, “Do I look like I give a damn about your opinion?!” Mom answered, “No.”
Breanna interjected, “Charles is nice, Alexander, I swear.” I snorted, “Is he?” Charles offered speculatively, “I don’t know that most people would call me nice. My dear Melanie would though.” I growled at him, “STOP calling her that.”
Charles laughed, “I’m afraid I cannot. I look at her and think, my dear. So that is what I call her.” Gage said, “Yeah, he definitely wants you to kill him, Alexander.” Phil said, “Alas, I’d disagree because my mate does, but methinks Gage has a point.”
I linked my dad, “Now will you kill him?” Dad’s lips twitched and to most he might looked relaxed. I knew my dad though and he was poised, ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Oden growled, “The bond tells us that too.” Yes, but I didn’t need it to know that.
Uncle Aiden greeted, “Charles Lennox. I have heard so much about you.” Mom snorted, “Of fucking course you have.” I asked, “From Melanie?” Uncle Aiden laughed, “She told me he was her mentor, but no I heard of Charles other ways.”
A portal opened that brought my Uncle Bjourn, Hastein, and Gabe to the conversation. Gabe announced, “My mate texted me I had to come and report verbatim what was going on until she gets back. What’s going on?” I snarled, “A Vampire with a death wish.” Hastein raised an eyebrow, but the bond told me he’d already known that’s how I felt.
Charles chuckled, “I assure you, young wolf, I do not have a death wish.” Gage hummed, “Don’t you though?” I raised an eyebrow, “My Gamma is correct, considering your presence here suggests otherwise. My mate may not understand what you were doing, but you do.”
“You stood there in MY home calling her your dear, hugging her the way you did, keeping a hand on her, teasing me saying I can’t help it, all while continuing to push me. I am NOT justa Werewolf. I wouldn’t have to lift a finger to incapacitate and stake you. You’d do well to remember that.”
Charles told me, “I am protective of my pupil. Melanie is the most fascinating person I have come across in centuries. Even her friends over there that I see, the Demon and the Wolf, are leery of me. They always have been. Mason and Hendrick too.” I could see why. Oden snarled, “Same.”
Charles grinned saying, “Not Melanie though. She couldn’t have cared less that I was a Vampire. She walked right up to me and asked how old I was. Once I told her, her eyes lit up and she asked about all about the history I’d seen.”
“It is a rare quality that we do not often see in generations. We see the same mistakes repeated often. Melanie believes this could be avoided if Vampires were history teachers. She is correct of course, but why would we bother?”
I asked, “What history was my mate interested in?” Charles looked at Uncle Aiden saying, “All kinds of course. Those that humans study and those they don’t; Supernatural’s. Particularly she was interested in Fairies. I knew quite a bit of their histories, and she’s quite the student.”
I snarled, “My wife knew all about Fairies already.” Uncle Aiden interjected, “Charles knows more about the family that ruled before ours than most books in Faerie would’ve told Melanie.” Charles eyes sparkled, “Oh, she didn’t just want to know about them. She was interested in your family tree as well.”
I questioned, “Why?” Charles smiled saying, “Ask her.” I growled, “I’m asking you.” Charles said, “And I won’t tell you.” Gage said, “I feel we keep circling back to this whole you having a death wish thing.” Phil questioned, “Did we ever leave it? Vampires can lie and I’m going to have to call him a liar.” Several people snorted.
I glared at EJ snarking, “He does give bad first impressions.” Uncle Aiden laughed, “It may be the first time you’ve met him, but I seriously doubt it’s the first time he’s seen you, nephew.” I whipped my head to my Fairy Uncle.
Charles laughed, “The Fairy King is right. I know quite a bit about you, Alpha Duke Alexander. I’ve also seen you in the distance a few times, and over some surveillance footage I…” He trailed off then smirked, “let’s go with, acquired.”
I asked, “Why would you do that?” Tristan growled, “Melanie. To him we were dead, and Jason wasn’t a factor. You were the only one that mattered.” I asked, “Factor in what?” Phil sighed, “Someone get the gym ready.” I linked him, “You know?” He replied, “I’ve got a serious guess.”
Gage said, “I don’t think there’s enough equipment in the world for this.” I was about to ask when dad did, “What the hell is everyone talking about?” Uncle Aiden said, “Charles is known for turning his mentees. As fascinated as he is by Melanie, I’m sure that was his eventual plan.”
I snarled, “YOU PLANNED TO TURN MY MATE!” Charles smiled, “Yes. If you’d have rejected her, I’d have gotten to her and turned her on the spot.” Drake growled, “Does my daughter want to be turned?” I could answer that, no.
Charles shrugged, “We didn’t discuss it.” Arthur interjected, “It’s not often that Vampires practice discussing turning with the intended child.” I growled, “You do.” Charles said, “Charles and I are very different people.”
I growled, “So I can see. You’re saying my mate’s feelings don’t matter to you, Vampire that has a death wish?” Charles argued, “On the contrary, Melanie’s feelings matter to me a great deal. I do not let people that fascinate me die. I planned to turn her eventually. I just would’ve changed my timetable if you rejected her.”
Mom warned, “Now, wait a damn minute. What do you mean Vampires turn other Supernatural’s WITHOUT their fucking consent?!” Dad half heartily said, “Angel.” While he smirked. Mom shouted, “NO! No one fucking Angel’s me right now. Or little sister, little one, or mom. That’s fucking bullshit. Supernatural’s can understand the turning process. Turned Werewolves can’t shift. That’s a big fucking deal.”
Charles reasoned, “She could not shift at the time anyway.” My eyes narrowed, “Did you know what happened to her?” Charles said, “If I knew, all involved would’ve been dead. I was traveling overseas on Melanie’s sixteenth birthday. Birthdays become trivial the older you get. I would not have let someone harm her.”
I asked, “How the HELL did she hide from you that they hurt her?” Charles looked at Sierra, which made Phil growl. Gage linked, “Again, I feel we keep coming back to his clear and utter death wish.” Oden agreed, “We really do.”
Sierra guiltily explained, “Charles wasn’t around as much as you think he was, Alexander. For a Vampire nomad, he was around a lot; however, he flew in and out of our lives. If Melanie was hurt, we told him she was busy.”
I raised an eyebrow pointing out, “Which he knew was a lie.” Charles said, “Of course I did. I did not suspect such a sinister plot as the Supernatural world has come to discover. Not unlike your Hackura Commander, I am aggrieved they did not tell me. That pack leadership would’ve died gruesome deaths if I knew they raised a single hand to Melanie.”
I growled, “If you’ve seen me like you claim, then you knew I wanted Melanie.” Charles said, “Of course I did.” I growled, “You could’ve gotten her to me.” Charles laughed, “I encouraged that girl many times to come see you.”
I glared at my Beta and Gamma, both of whom shrugged. Toby huffed, “Come on, you two.” Gage said, “I feel like all I dois repeat that this Vampire has a death wish.” Charles chuckled, “Not quite, young Gamma.” Gage said, “Agree to disagree, old Vampire.” More than one person laughed.
